This issue is not entirely restricted to my computer science curriculum. I am a Media Informatics major at Northern Kentucky University and my minor, for the moment, is computer science. What Media Informatics means is we learn to use the tools and principles of effective multimedia communication including but not exclusive to web design, digital video, and computer animation. I chose CS as my minor as a complement to all the other software applications I’ll be utilizing throughout my major. However, it seems that the professors in my major are also very application-centric. We call our 3D animation class “Maya” after the high-end animation package used and get taught primarily to use Maya instead of receiving a broad base of the priciples of 3D animation. Yet, there are many more 3D computer animation packages out there that can be learned and happen to be used by the professional world. There are even some that are open source, like Blender. I think the only reason we don’t learn on Blender is that the professor that teaches it doesn’t know how to use it.

A good education should not be platform specific.

As for my programming class, there are many more programs that utilize the object oriented model. There’s Python, C++, Objective C (Cocao) and many more. Granted, like learning a foreign language, some feel that if you learn one language, it’s just a matter of spotting the differences and adjusting. However, my feeling is that approach to any language is very narrow for a long time in the early phases and results in a lot of frustration for a great deal of the learning process.

• Introduction:

  the phase of the process where the student made aware of new ideas

• Exploration:

  the phase where the student explores and tests the new stream of ideas in a personal manner

• Mastery:

  The final phase, after thorough exploration, the student fully understands the implication and applicability of the new knowledge stream.

There is no reason this process should be frustrated with artificial immediacy. Truly, the process should be structured, but not unnecessarily stressful.

The counter argument for such a progressive and forgiving approach is that the “real world” does not and cannot allow for an individual to arrive at a goal whenever the individual sees fit. Production and growth cannot beignored, denied, or hindered in any way. Anyone that does not display the personality that has proven to be an asset to a corporate entity does not deserve a place within the pantheon of the deserving and prosperous. They must be relegated to serve at the base level.

So, what I feel the danger is to learning a single platform over a broad concept, is that approach is stressful and counter intuitive to the learning process. Some could become accolytes to that specific platform without really knowing why. That’s not education. That’s indoctrination. Once a learner has been indoctrinated, for him to become educated, a belief system must be shattered and then he will have to put the pieces together in their propper order, which is a waste of time and spirit.

Movies:

Like almost all humanity, I love ‘em. They give me joy, break my heart, calm my fears, show me worlds that I probably wouldn’t have been able to imagine before, and fill me with wonder for the possibility of humanity. Even the least of them have at their heart some grain desire to find out what makes us so unique. Most of them are fairly eloquent about their point. Some can be absolutely unintelligible and ponderous, but still overall the value of the medium of the movie for transmitting culture is incalculable. So, I love ‘em. I want to write about ‘em and I want to make ‘em.

I must do both.

What movies do I consider to be best movies in existence?

First, let me get a semantic item out of the way. I will try my hardest to never refer to a movie, even a good one or an “arty” movie as a “film.” I understand that through time, usage, and the fact that, traditionaly, the medium onto which movies have been recorded has resulted in the “films” moniker. My argument against the label is that technology has progressed in such a way that more and more movies are being recorded onto revolutionary media such as solid state storage devices. Film is becoming obsolete. Additionally, there are those that will attempt to use the term as an honorific to distinguish those that are considered masterpieces of art from those that are cultural artifacts that should be buried to our shame and guilt and pray that archeologists never find them. To hell with it! They are all movies. They vary in quality, but they are all movies.

Back to the question at hand. What do I consider to be a good movie? The good movies are the ones that leave a new idea in your head. They don’t have to be agitprop but they should leave a desire to find out more about their universe, no matter whProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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the size.

What’s my favorite genre?

I’m a bit of a nerd. I love the wonder, mystery and hope that good Sci-fi has to offer. Nowadays, Sci-fi is connected to horror, mostly because there is great amount about the fringes of knowlege that fills us with a distinct sense of doom and fear. But, I personally prefer the Sci-fi that taps into wonder that expands our consciousness. That’s a trickier thing than playing on one’s fear.

What are my favorite movies?

A few years ago, I’ve assembled a top 10 list of movies. On another site I reproduced this list. Several times over the years I had intended to but, for some unknown reason, never attempted to maintain any reviews or essays concerning, at least, my top 10. Before I go much further with my musings on movies, I must write on those. Therefore, completing my top 10 will be my first project.

Primarily, what I want to do is go through my personal catalogue of movies and deliver reviews, maybe even thorough analyses. Who knows?

As I watch new releases, I will also post critical responses as well. Maybe my opinion will be respected.

Finally, as I see trends in movies, thematic, technical or otherwise, I’ll elaborate and provide my own analysis of the situation.

So, there you have it. My whole purpose for this series of blogs is now laid out for you, dear reader. I hope in the future to remain honest, insightful, logical, honest, truthful and ultimately entertaining. So, until I can get off my ass to get writing again…

Update, since I began this entry, my bus arrived. The photo accompanying this entry is a shot from where I am sitting.

Personally, I feel I need to develop a forum where those individuals interested in my thoughts opinions and such would be able find and discuss them. I only need to find better ways to publish and develop better habits of writing.

One thing I always wanted to do is develop a catalog of movie reviews and essays. I talk about movies enough, I don’t see why I don’t publish these opinions and thoughts. We’ll see. Additionally, my life is steadily leaning towards interactive digital media. For scholarly and academic purposes, I really aught to keep a developer journal for all to see.

I’ve been blogging mostly on blogspot, which is integrated with google, but I’m told that WordPress has greater versatility. It think I’ll explore the potential of WordPress for a while. If I can integrate updates with facebook and create an RSS feed that updates on my personal site then it looks like we could be in business.